


Fairytale of Georgia

by Tillthewheelsfalloff



Series: Don't Say Goodbye [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Christmas, Divorced Lori Grimes/Rick Grimes, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Bonding, Fist Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Good Sibling Merle Dixon, Homophobic Language, M/M, POV Alternating, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:02:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28013628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tillthewheelsfalloff/pseuds/Tillthewheelsfalloff
Summary: “This is weird,” Rick blurted.Daryl blinked, looking around trying to work out what Rick was talking about. “Huh?”“Last year Shane had Christmas with Lori and I. Shane’s parents live in Florida and couldn’t get a flight up in time so he spent it with us. Now you and me are having Christmas with him? Last time I had dinner with them I’d never felt so… weird.”“Least you ain’t the gay redneck that’s jus’ taggin’ along,” Daryl scoffed. “That’s awkward.”“You’re not just taggin’ along,” Rick said seriously. “You’re with me.”
Relationships: Daryl Dixon & Merle Dixon, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes, Lori Grimes/Shane Walsh
Series: Don't Say Goodbye [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894987
Comments: 14
Kudos: 84
Collections: Daryl is gay/asexual so deal with it





	Fairytale of Georgia

**Author's Note:**

> Can be read alone but read parts 1&2 first for more context.
> 
> Beta'd by the wonderful sleepyMoritz

Rick woke up sprawled across Daryl’s warm, bare chest. Daryl was still fast asleep, breathing steadily below him.

Unable to resit, Rick pressed a gentle kiss onto his neck just below the morning stubble, loving the smile that crossed Daryl’s face. “Tickles.”

“Merry Christmas, Darlin',” Rick said, grinning into his neck.

Christmas day with the man he loved. It couldn’t be more perfect.

“Uh, Merry Christmas,” Daryl repeated hesitantly, as though he wasn’t sure if he should say it back. Rick vowed _again_ that Daryl would have a good Christmas for the first time in his life. He kissed at Daryl’s neck again and moved closer into his warmth. “You wanna be inside me or somethin’?” Daryl asked, yet made no attempt to move away.

“Was that a request?”

Daryl’s chest rumbled as he laughed. Rick slowly ran his hand down Daryl’s chest and under the covers taking hold of Daryl’s half hard dick, stroking it into full hardness.

“Ohh, okay,” Daryl moaned and bucked into his hand.

Rick kissed down his collarbone and his chest, pausing to give each nipple a lick, drawing pleasured moans from Daryl.

Rick moved slowly, taking his time to appreciate Daryl unthinkingly taking his shirt off around him these days. He never wanted to make Daryl regret trusting him.

After a while of teasing, Rick slowly moved back up to capture Daryl’s lips in a gentle kiss.

Daryl pulled away and turned to search through his side drawer. Rick laughed when Daryl found the breath mints and offered one out to him. Rick opened his mouth to accept one. All the while Rick’s hand kept moving on his dick, eyes intensely watching Daryl try to keep his cool yet his eyes fluttered closed, mouth opened in a silent moan.

“Don’t choke on it,” Rick reminded him softly.

Daryl’s lips curved into a smirk. “The mint or you plannin’ somethin’ else?”

“Temptin’.” Rick peppered kisses down his jaw and threw the covers off the bed. “But right now, I want…” he slotted himself between Daryl's legs which opened for him. Rick found the lube in the drawer and squirted some on his hand before taking both their lengths in that hand. He gasped at the electric shock that ran through him at the feel of Daryl's dick against his own and hand moving smoothly along them.

Rick covered Daryl's mouth with his own, swallowing his moans. Daryl's blunt nails dug into Rick's back as he clutched desperately at him, his hips rocking up in time with Rick’s hand.

“Daryl, fuck,” Rick gasped, biting back to urge to tell him that he loves him. He knew how uncomfortable it made Daryl since he still hadn’t said it back. But he knew how Daryl felt, in every caress, every whisper of a kiss, the way Daryl held him close and fingertips lightly trailing across Rick’s sides, and the moaned reply of his name.

Rick reverently kissed down Daryl's neck and chest, anywhere he could reach. Daryl wrapped a hand around the back of Rick’s neck pulling him in for another firm kiss, tongue darting out, fervently exploring Rick’s mouth.

Pressure was quickly building in Rick’s lower belly and he sped up his hand until Daryl was cumming with a shout. Rick thrusted a few more times before he was followed, his chest heaving, both of them gasping for breath.

His arm gave way and he fell onto Daryl, wincing at the cum being squished between them.

“Gross,” Daryl muttered.

“Sorry,” Rick said into his neck. “Just means we both need a shower now,” he said meaningfully.

Daryl shivered and shifted beneath him. Rick sighed but pushed himself off and rolled over. Daryl reached for some tissue to clean himself off and offered the box to Rick.

“Best Christmas mornin’ I’ve ever had,” Daryl said breathlessly.

Rick hummed. “It’s different. It’s not six am and I haven’t got a five year old jumpin’ on my bladder.” He bit his lip, waves of grief rushing over him suddenly. He had agreed for Lori to have Carl Christmas day but that didn’t mean he didn’t miss his son.

“Think we can have him next year?” Daryl suggested.

Rick turned slowly to stare at him. He felt Daryl go stiff and stared back at Rick with wide eyes and mouth open.

Rick felt a smile stretch across his lips and he asked, “Next year, huh?”

Daryl opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, his eyes darted between Rick and his hands resting on his chest before he finally settled on an hesitant, “Yeah?”

Rick’s smile grew and he leant over to kiss him on the cheek, overwhelmed by his love for Daryl.

“I’ll speak to Lori,” Rick suggested, confident he could convince her, maybe do every other year. They hadn’t gotten around to discussing it.

Daryl kept his face carefully blank but Rick could read him by now and knew how much Daryl was dreading the day.

“It’ll be fine,” Rick said, leaning in to kiss him again. “I promise. No pressure. Jus’ don’t let me forget Carl’s presents. There’ll be hell to pay.”

Daryl went stiff beside him again. “Oh. Tha’ reminds me. I got you a thing.”

Rick’s heart sped up remembering Daryl’s gift under the bed, he had no idea how Daryl was going to react to it.

“Oh?” he prompted in what he hoped was a relaxed tone.

Daryl hesitated, tongue darting out to wet his lips and said, “It ain’t nothin’ physical… I know you’ve felt bad ‘bout not bein’ able to spend all tha’ much time with Carl recently. So, I’ve organised a trip. For the three of us, weekend after new years to a cabin. Real nice, fishing. Too cold to swim but I could teach Carl a thing or two ‘bout nature.” Daryl ‘s lips twitched into a nervous half smile, looking at Rick with anticipation.

Rick’s heart swelled. “Daryl, I love it but the weekend after new years will be impossible to get off.”

To his surprise the half smile morphed into a full grin. “Got Shane to sort that. An’ sorted it with Carl’s school so we can go Friday afternoon. Make the most of it.”

Rick mirrored Daryl’s grin and pulled him into another kiss, slowing it down, taking the time to enjoy his soft lips and the minty taste on his tongue.

“I got you somethin’ too,” Rick said when he pulled away and he turned to reach for the gift under his bed, his heart thumping in his chest.

Daryl’s eyes went wide and he murmured a thanks as he gently ripped it open.

Rick waited with baited breath as Daryl opened his gift. At first Daryl frowned at it but Rick saw the understanding dawn in his eyes. Daryl’s mouth fell open and he reached out as though to caress it with his other hand but stopped just short of touching it.

“Is this--” Daryl’s eyes darted up to Rick then back down to the painted picture of Daryl’s mother. She was pretty with long brown hair that curtained a pretty face with high cheekbones and the same bright blue eyes as Daryl.

Rick cleared his throat. “You told me you could barely remember what she looked like. I figured since she died in a fire, there’d be a case file. I pulled a favour to get access and got someone to paint that. The photograph from the newspaper is in the back of the frame as well.”

Daryl caught his eye, his own filled with tears that he roughly wiped away.

“I-- It’s-- Rick--” Daryl pulled Rick into a kiss, pouring all of his feelings into it.

Rick let out a breath. “You like it?” Daryl nodded. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”

“It’s real thoughtful. Thank you, Rick.”

“Anythin’ for you,” Rick promised, loving the way Daryl’s ears went red and smiled shyly.

* * *

Lori’s house was tastefully decorated with fairy lights along some of the windows, there was a plastic Santa on the front porch, and fake snow scattered on the grass.

Daryl opened his door but when Rick made no move to get out of the car Daryl closed it again and waited.

“We goin’ in?” Daryl asked after a few moments.

“This is weird,” Rick blurted.

Daryl blinked, looking around trying to work out what Rick was talking about. “Huh?”

“Last year Shane had Christmas with Lori and I. Shane’s parents live in Florida and couldn’t get a flight up in time so he spent it with us. Now you and me are having Christmas with him? Last time I had dinner with them I’d never felt so… weird.”

“Least you ain’t the gay redneck that’s jus’ taggin’ along,” Daryl scoffed. “That’s awkward.”

“You’re not just taggin’ along,” Rick said seriously. “You’re with me.”

“You three have known each other since what, high school? I’m the odd one out.” When Rick started to argue Daryl quickly added, “It’s fine, jus’ fact. But you ain’t got no reason to feel weird. Unless you’re still pinin’ over Lori, in which case I better go.”

Rick lent in to kiss him gently. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

After another moment, Rick took a deep breath and got out of the car and led them into the house. “Hello?” Rick shouted.

Immediately, Daryl was hit with a mixture of smells making his mouth water, the house was hot enough he knew he’d be rolling up the sleeves of the nice shirt Rick got him in before long. The windows were steamed up, and excited screaming coming from deeper inside.

The outside was tastefully decorated but the inside was garish; everywhere Daryl looked there were fairy lights, tinsel, or various Christmas figures including the entire nativity scene under the stairs.

For a few minutes it was chaos; Carl was already on a sugar high running around and shouting greetings at the two of them in hugs that were more like a cannonball to the stomach, and then carried on past them up the stairs.

“Don’t run on the stairs!” Rick shouted after him.

Shane was running after him and came to a skidding stop to greet them both.

After Rick had gone back to work after healing from his stab wound, he and Shane had started to get closer again. Even to the point Shane had come over to watch football with Rick a few times. Daryl had stayed the first time, wanting to try since Shane meant a lot to Rick, but he had no interest in football, it had just been boring so every time afterwards he went back to the trailer or to Carol’s.

“I told Rick ‘bout the weekend,” Daryl told him. “Thanks for sortin’ that.”

“No worries, man. Glad I could help.” 

They talked for a minute but Daryl found himself thankful when Rick pulled the attention off him, and started a conversation about sugar high and children.

He instead found the seven month pregnant Lori was rushing around the hot, messy kitchen.

“Hey Lori, Merry Christmas,” Daryl greeted.

“Daryl! Hi. Merry Christmas!”

“Do you need some help?” Daryl asked her, hoping to do something to keep him busy whilst Rick and Shane talked.

“You know how to baste a turkey?” Lori asked.

“Yeah.”

Lori paused, holding a plastic tub of some red frozen fruit against her swollen stomach, and looked back at him surprised. “It’s in the oven, do you mind?”

“Sure. You doin’ it all from scratch?” Daryl asked, eyeing the tub and taking note of the carrot peel still on the side, next to the stuffing mix. “You’re seven months pregnant.”

Lori shrugged. “I’ve always done it from scratch, Shane’s helped with some of the prep. We missed Thanksgiving this year. We can’t miss Christmas.”

Daryl hummed thoughtfully, it was still strange being around a family that actually cared about the holidays. “Fair,” he muttered and took the turkey out of the oven to put on the breakfast bar opposite Lori who started measuring out the frozen fruit.

They worked in silence for a few moments, Daryl focused on spreading the juices over the turkey.

“I take it you do most of the cookin’?” Lori asked eventually.

Daryl snorted and looked up her amused smile. “Yeah. Rick burns everythin’. Except he undercooks peas somehow.”

“That don’t surprise me,” Lori said grinning, and poured sugar into a bowl. “Shane’s not much better. I asked him to put the peas on a few weeks ago. He put them in the oven.”

Daryl laughed surprised. “You serious?”

“I know. I was speechless.”

“Rick made tomato pasta for our first date,” Daryl said. “He nearly burned down the building.”

Lori was quiet for a moment and Daryl mentally cursed himself for mentioning the date. He still wasn’t sure how Lori felt about him and Rick dating. Rick had told him after he came out Lori asked questions but since then avoided the subject.

Daryl hadn’t spoken to her much; the only time they saw each other without Rick being there was when Daryl had to drop Carl home when Rick had an emergency at work. Even then, he walked Carl to the door, refused the polite offer of coffee, and escaped.

Daryl turned to put the turkey back into the oven and just stepped back when Lori asked, “So… have you always known you were gay?”

He hoped Lori would mistake the red on his face for heat from the oven. “Yeah. Pretty much.”

“Rick mentioned it’s just you and your brother,” she glanced up at him through her eyelashes. “How’s he about it all?”

Daryl winced. “Uh... fine. What do you need me to do next?”

“That bad huh?” Daryl waited, not knowing how to reply to that, Lori eventually cleared her throat and walked over to the slow cooker glancing into it. She turned it to keep warm and held out a masher to him. “Mind mashing these? I’m just going to finish the cranberry sauce.”

Daryl took it, glad to have a reason to have his back to her.

“Sorry,” Lori said after a moment. “I’m still getting my head around Rick being bisexual. He never even… hinted.”

“Ain’t an easy thing to get your own head around, let alone tell someone you care about,” Daryl admitted.

“I imagine even worse for you?” Lori asked, “In your neck of the woods to come out…”

Daryl faltered, hand slipping on the masher. “Uh…”

“Sorry,” Lori said again. “You barely know me. I’m jus’ the boyfriend’s ex-wife askin’ intrusive questions.”

Daryl glanced over his shoulder at her, pouring batter into the muffin tins and biting her lip. He decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“We’re all in Georgia. Comin’ out ain’t easy for no one. Should go to New York or somethin’ if we wanted it easy.”

Lori chuckled. “Yeah. That-- that’s a fair point. How old were you?”

“How about, we stop interrogatin’ Daryl?” Rick said, coming into the room. Daryl shot him a grateful look. Rick went to Lori’s side to give her a half hug and kiss on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Lor.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Carl wants to open his presents. I’m pretty sure the exact words were ‘Santa Claus will be sad if I don’t open them now’.”

“Why can’t he? Need scissors?” Daryl asked confused.

Rick and Lori laughed and Daryl frowned at the mashed potatoes, getting the distinct impression he’d said the wrong thing.

“He wants to open with us,” Rick explained, getting a few beers out of the fridge. “And don’t give scissors to a five year old.”

“Oh.”

“Can he wait another five minutes?” Lori asked. “Once the last of it’s on we’ll be in.”

“I’ll see what I can negotiate,” Rick put one of the beers on the side by Daryl and disappeared back into the hallway with the rest.

They made it barely a minute before Carl darted into the room, nearly smacking straight into Daryl’s legs as he tried to stop but skidded on the tiled floor. “Mooooooooooooooom!” Carl moaned. “Why do I gotta wait? Divorce sucks!”

“Language,” Lori scolded.

Daryl watched the interaction with wonder. If he’d ever spoken to his parents the way Carl did he would be black and blue. Sophia was the only other child he spent time around and she was still so meek she never spoke up unless she had to.

“But Daryl says sucks!”

Daryl winced. “Yeah. An’ I shouldn’t,” he said pointedly. He was careful with his language around Carl but ‘sucks’ didn’t register as a bad word to him but he knew better than to argue with someone’s mother.

“Four minutes,” Lori told him with no room to argue.

Carl pouted and stormed back towards the living room. They both finished up, checked on the vegetables and then followed Carl’s excited voice back to the living room.

Once they joined Rick, Shane, and Carl it was chaos. Carl ripped into his small mountain of gifts from under the brightly colored tree. Rick had admitted he and Lori had gone overboard, feeling the divorce-guilt.

As expected, it was barely ten minutes before the living room was covered in wrapping paper and Carl was buzzing in the middle of it. Daryl didn’t expect for Carl to shout his name and held up a long red sparkling bag. “Huh?”

“S’for you!” Carl peeked into the bag. “It’s wine, that’s boring.”

“Carl!” Lori reprimanded.

“Sorry.” Carl half crawled half dragged himself across the floor to give him the bottle of red wine and then went back to the rest of the pile.

Daryl read the note: ‘To Daryl from Lori & Shane x’

“Oh uh, thank you?” Daryl said shocked. He hadn’t expected anything from Rick, let alone anyone else.

“Hope you like it, I wasn’t sure what you drink,” Lori said sheepishly.

“S’good. Thanks, tend to drink whatever I got.”

When he turned his attention back, Carl had picked up a box that Daryl recognised his own awkward wrapping. Carl immediately ripped into it and his wide grin somehow got wider at the large box of pens and pencils along with ‘how to draw’ books.

“What do you say to Daryl?” Lori prompted him.

“Thank you, Daryl!” Carl scrambled to his feet to hug him and went back to the pile before Daryl could return the hug.

A loud ringing had them all jumping and looking at Daryl. He grabbed for his cell and glanced down at Merle’s name. “Uh, ‘cuse me. Sorry.” He left the room to answer it.

“Daryl! Where are ya then?” Merle demanded immediately.

“What?”

“You invited me to some Hallmark movie. Where is it?”

“You said you didn’t wanna come?”

Merle scoffed. “That was then, this is now. Where is it?”

“You serious? I can’t jus’ expect Rick’s family to have ya when you said no.”

“Ahh c’mon lil brother. Don’t be a dick. Tell ‘em how awesome I am.”

Daryl sighed. “Fine. Gimmie a sec.” He looked back into the room to get Rick’s attention. Rick quickly joined him in the hallway, eyebrows risen. Daryl lowered his phone and said to Rick, “S’Merle. He suddenly wants to come. Did you ever speak to Lori? I can tell him to fuck off if you want?”

Rick shook his head. “He said no before I got the chance. We’ve always got enough food for an army, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he smiled reassuringly, “I’ll go speak to them.”

Daryl smiled, relieved. He didn’t want to tell Merle no. “Thank you.”

“Darlenaaaaaaaaa, Darlena,” Merle was singing when he put the phone back to his ear.

“I’m here.” Daryl gave him the address and added, “Jus’... behave alright?”

“I always behave.” Merle cut off the phone and Daryl immediately regretted his decision.

He went back into the room, made sure to get Rick’s nod before he said a thanks to Lori and Shane.

“Daryl! Draw with me?” Carl asked. “Please!”

Daryl glanced at his watch, Merle said he would be there in twenty minutes so he had time. “A’right.”

“You don’t have to,” Lori said.

“I don’t mind.” Daryl dropped onto the floor to lay beside Carl and the new pens and pencils Daryl got him. “Sure. What are we drawin’?” Daryl accepted the paper Carl offered.

“A car!”

“Okay. Three, two, one, go!” Daryl grinned and started drawing a car ready to compare at the end, a game Carl loved. Hell, Daryl enjoyed it, spending time with Carl and it helped to block out the conversation going on around him.

* * *

Rick tapped his fingers on the table, trying to listen to the low voices in the hallway as Daryl answered the door to Merle. He heard the word ‘behave’ multiple times from Daryl.

It had taken some convincing Shane, but Lori was willing to give him a chance despite being clearly wary.

Merle sauntered into the room, looking around curiously. He was wearing a black band shirt with the sleeves ripped off, with a leather jacket over the top, ripped jeans, and wristbands with crosses on them.

“Officers.” He nodded at Rick and Shane, and held out his hand to Lori. “You must be the ex wife.”

Rick had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at Lori’s attempt at keeping her polite smile in place at Merle’s rugged appearance.

“It’s Lori.” Lori took the offered hand.

“Lori. Good ta meet ya. You’ve got a lovely home.”

“Oh, thank you.” Lori cleared her throat.

“I’m Carl!” Carl said coming right up to Merle and looking directly up at him.

Merle crouched to look him in the eye. “Hi Carl. You’re Sophia’s boyfriend, ain’t ya?”

Carl winkled his nose. “No! She’s my friend. What’s that?”

“My wristband?” He turned it so Carl could see all of it. “Jus’ bit’a bling ain’t it.”

A loud ringing from the kitchen came from the kitchen and Lori smiled tightly. “That’s dinner. Everything should be done.”

“Need any help?” Merle offered, standing up straight.

Lori looked at him surprised. “I-- I could use someone to carry things.”

“Lead the way. Oi, Darlena, be a gentleman,” Merle said, grabbing him by the shoulder and pushed him towards the door.

“That was weird?” Shane said, eyes wide. “That was weird right?”

“I told you he could be polite.”

“You didn’t believe it yourself,” Shane said pointedly.

“I won’t admit to anything.” Rick laughed. “I haven’t actually spent all that much time with him. Least without Daryl and Carol being there. I want to get to know him.”

“There’s somethin’ we haven’t thought about,” Shane said suddenly looking at the doorway as Merle passed it holding the turkey. “We’re gettin’ shown up by two Dixons.”

Rick jumped to his feet and rushed to help carry food to the table alongside Shane.

Once everything was set, Rick went to his usual seat only to freeze when Shane also stepped up to the same chair.

“Uh,” Rick stepped back and gestured at it. “Sorry.”

Merle laughed loudly and said in a loud whisper to Daryl, “Damn! That’s gotta feel awkward.”

Rick rolled his eyes and refused to rise to the bait. Thankfully, Lori came back into the dining room with the final forgotten plate for Merle. Rick took the seat opposite Daryl.

Once they were all settled, Rick cleared his throat and gestured at the turkey. “Shall I?”

When no one objected Rick stood up to cut the turkey. It was chaos for a minute as they all took that as the cue to start helping themselves. Rick stopped Carl from filling his plate full of potatoes and made sure to put some vegetables on it, much to Carl’s despair.

Only after Shane poured the wine and everything settled did Carl ask, “Can I try some?”

Rick tilted his head, considering it but Lori spoke up first. “No, you’re five!”

“S’not like one sip’ll get the kid addicted,” Merle said, taking a sip of his own.

“Say’s you,” Daryl said. “Tried to get me drunk at seven.”

“Worked to put you off the stuff,” Merle argued. “Didn’t even touch it again for years.”

“‘Cause I was a kid!”

“Didn’t work for us,” Shane said, sending Rick a significant look.

Rick laughed into his glass, the memory coming back to him. “Oh! That’s right. God, dad was so angry.” At the questioning looks around the table, Rick explained, “We were nine. Dad had some friends round. When they weren’t looking Shane stole the port bottle.”

“It was disgustin’, but hey, we both wanted ta be like Captain Grimes,” Shane added grinning, “We drank loads. I ended up in hospital with alcohol poisonin’. You were sick for _days_!”

They both laughed but Lori cleared her throat, quickly sobering the two of them.

“It was terrible,” Shane said, directing it at Carl.

“A very bad decision. We should still be grounded,” Rick said.

Carl looked between them, frowning. “So, can I?”

Rick looked at Lori, after a moment she sighed and nodded. “Just _one_ sip.”

Carl cheered and took the wine off Rick holding it in two hands as he took a sip and immediately screwed up his face. “Ewwww! That’s disgusting!”

“That’s my boy,” Lori patted his back and offered him her orange juice to wash the taste out.

* * *

“The hell has happened ta my life?” Merle asked, leaning against the wall of Lori’s house after dinner, sucking on a cigarette. “Christmas fuckin’ dinner with a soccar mom, a kid, and two cops. One of them’s a fuckin’ fag.”

“Hey _,_ ” Daryl scolded without any heat behind it, he really didn’t want to start an argument today of all days. So far it had been going well, during dinner Daryl had found himself laughing alongside Shane and his brother. A scene he never expected. He only had to tell Merle off for his inappropriate comments a couple of times.

Merle rolled his eyes. “A homo then.”

“Better.”

“Ya never cared ‘bout whatever I’d say before.”

“Always cared but used to it,” Daryl admitted. “Now... it bothers Rick.”

Merl scoffed. “Man, you are whipped.”

“I’m _happy_ ,” Daryl said, “I’d rather not mess it up for as long as I can.”

“Whipped,” Merle repeated in a singsong voice.

Daryl rolled his eyes and took a long drag of his cigarette before saying, “Y’know, I never thanked ya.”

He could feel Merle’s eyes boring into him. “For wha’?”

Daryl looked at him, eyebrows risen wondering if Merle actually didn’t know but his eyes were unreadable. “You left the army for me, man.” Merle rolled his eyes, turning his head with the force of it. “I’d be dead if--”

“Jesus. If I’d known you goin’ full gay with some guy woulda made you sappy, I would have tried harder to turn you straight!”

“ _Full gay_?” Daryl repeated. “The hell does tha’ mean?”

“You’re basically livin’ with him ain’t ya? Raisin’ a kid. Full gay.”

Daryl rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot,” Daryl said and elbowed Merle’s side.

“Oh c’mon, I taught ya better’n tha’!” Merle said, twisting towards him. Daryl saw the fist coming too late and felt the pain blossom across his chest, stumbling back with force of it, the wind knocked out of him. He dropped his cigarette into the ground as he struggled to get his breath back.

He saw Merle’s smirk out of the corner of his eye. Daryl knew he had to move quickly whilst Merle was still smug. Daryl swung with his left hand, aiming for Merle’s cheek. Merle reeled back.

“Oh fuck you,” Merle spat and lunged at Daryl, hooking a leg behind Daryl, throwing him to the grass and pinned him down with a knee to Daryl’s chest and the other on his arm, aiming multiple punches to his face.

Daryl managed to block most of the punches with his free hand but felt pain across his nose, he knew it wasn’t broken with Merle pulling his punches.

With a bit of struggling, Daryl managed to get his arm free and shoved at Merle’s leg that was on his chest, and rolled out of his grasp. He tried to get to his feet but saw Merle coming again, attempting a tackle. Daryl shifted to the side and hooked his arm around Merle’s neck, aiming punches at his side.

“Choke holds illegal,” Merle managed to say through clenched teeth.

“The hell are you doin’?!” Daryl heard Rick shouting and before he could react both Rick and Shane were pulling him off Merle, and Rick got between them. “You okay?” Rick asked, looking at him concerned and looking him up and down.

Shane slowly released him.

“I’m fine,” Daryl managed to say before he caught Merle’s eye, seeing the bleeding split lip, and couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter, Merle catching on until they were both doubled over with it.

“Jesus, Friendly. Your face!” Merle blurted through his laughter.

“What the hell jus’ happened?” Rick demanded, looking between them. “Why were you fighting?!”

“Uh… Bondin’?” Daryl answered. “Sorry.”

“ _Why_?!” Shane shouted. Daryl could only shrug.

“That was so cool!” Carl piped up from the porch, standing beside an aghast Lori.

“What the hell?!” Lori shouted.

“No it was bad,” Daryl said quickly. “We got carried away. Won’t happen again.”

Lori glared between them again and spun on her heel heading back inside.

“Do it again!” Carl ordered.

“Carl!” Lori shouted.

Carl’s eyes went wide and he spun around to run back inside.

Merle laughed and picked up his discarded cigarette from the grass and relit it, only then touching his lip with a hiss. “Ow.”

“You’ll live,” Daryl said rolling his eyes. “You’ve had worse.”

“And your nose is bleedin’,” Rick said, putting a hand on Daryl’s shoulder.

Daryl touched at his nose and looked at the blood on his hand. “Huh.”

Rick pushed him towards the house and led him straight into the closest bathroom and got him some tissue.

“Are you two okay?” Rick asked. “Really?”

“We’re good.” Rick continued staring at him and Daryl smiled. “Really. We’re good.”

Rick made sure that nobody was looking back at them and then leant in to kiss him chastly, tilting his head to avoid his nose.

A loud banging on the door had them pulling away with a sigh.

“Oi you two stop fuckin’ in there, I need a piss,” Merle shouted.

“What’s fucking?” Carl piped up curiously.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed!


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